2nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Advertising

Hi there! Well, I headed out last night to present an award at the 2nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Advertising along with Anne Burrell. Here I am on the carpet smiling away!

Getty Images

I had on some pretty shoes, but they gave me trouble all night. Ladies, why do we do this to ourselves? I gave up heels at the beginning of the year, but they are like the mob ... they keep pulling me back in! Anyway, I tumbled to the stage and gave away an award with Anne ...Can you see the clear teleprompter things next to the podium? Very presidential, lol. The one on Anne's side was blank or I had the wrong angle to catch it and the one on my side worked, but my angle didn't allow for me to see the whole thing, it was too funny. Good thing I memorized my lines before the show. Too funny. The event was at the Hyatt at Grand Central Terminal and was presented by Omnicom Group, Publicis Groupe, Rokk Vodka, which btw I recommend the apple flavor :-).I tell you the sponsors not because they are paying me, but so you can see the companies involved in causes I believe in, which is equality for all and the portrayal as such in media. I can remember when the Cosby's first aired on television people acted like it was an unrealistic portrayal of an African American family, just to pander to the audience asking for more positive portrayals. To me, it wasn't unrealistic because at the time my dad was a doctor and my mom a lawyer, with many of the same story lines. So, there's something very powerful about media showing all people in a realistic light. It empowers people in a major way and I'm in support of that. But like I say, it was a wedding, over in 2 seconds! Before we went on there was a really funny performance by Mad Men star and host of the evening Brian Batt (Salvatore, if you watch!). He has a one man show on the way called "Batt on a Hot Tin Roof" that begins in a few days if you happen to be in the area. He's hilarious and has a nice voice! Ok, so after Anne and I gave Levi's Gay History Month/Logo Leaders Campaign the award for Outstanding TV Campaign - LGBT Market, I headed back to the little green room to catch a picture with someone I was chatting with just before we went on ...It's Bethenny Frankel!! She was so nice! Even her assistants were nice, which isn't always the case and I found it refreshing. I watch most of the Housewives shows and even watched her spin-off show. There were so many people there! Bravo's Andy Cohen also presented an award and I even caught a glimpse of Ru Paul's Drag Race winner Bebe Zahara Benet, she was so tall and had a really pretty blue dress on, I watched that season so when she walked in I said to myself "ok now we're talkin'!". She brought the glam! Ok, that's it. I didn't get anymore pictures, but I had a great time and was happy to be invited to participate.

I'm headed to my old stompin' grounds of San Antonio, Tx this weekend for Aetna's Healthy Food Fight! Join me at the Grand Hyatt this Sunday! Check the website, they have recipes and winners from each city listed. It's free to come and watch the cooks battle it out this Sunday, so come join us! I went to high school in San Antonio and spent 3 years of my Air Force life there, can't wait to see familiar places and faces! It's been 13 years! Way too long! Ok, I hope to meet you this weekend!

Don't forget the 8th season of Cooking for Real is underway!!! This Saturday catch the new episode "I Have an App for That". I share some small bites that'll get you through any home invasion of friends :-). My Fake Crepes are pretty easy and gooey fun, I also share my Pizza Bites and a recipe that is great with frozen or fresh shrimp, my Shrimp in Garlic Pepperoni Sauce. All are super simple and crowd pleasers. Hope you like the show!

Cooking for Real, Food Network, this Saturday at NOON!

Tell a food friend, don't be stingy, unless it's biscuits :-)